Newly-formed group, Momento Latino, is already pushing to erase inequalities towards Latinos as the coronavirus continues to devastate communities across the U.S.

Founded by influential Latinos like Eva Longoria Bastón, Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Henry Muñoz III and Chef José Andrés, Momento Latino is a coalition focused on combating disparities within health, education, the economy and politics amid the coronavirus crisis.

“This is not about setting up a single fundraiser and walking away. It’s a movement.” Longoria Bastón told NBC. 

“Our moment is now! Covid-19 has disproportionately hurt Latinos in the US. This. Is. Not. Acceptable. I’m joining Momento Latino a movement dedicated to pushing for meaningful change, to help my Latinx brothers and sisters. Follow to see how you can help,” Longoria Bastón tweeted. 
 

For instance, Arizona, California, Texas and Florida  — all with particularly high Latinx populations — are seeing alarming rises in coronavirus cases.

Over half of Texas’ population is Black and Latinx. In Arizona, 30% of the population is Latinx, with the state currently seeing one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the world.

The coronavirus is affecting Latinos disproportionately all across the United States, and it does not discriminate based on privilege or status. 

Joaquin and Julian Castro recently announced their stepmother lost her battle with coronavirus, and their grieving father, who has also contracted the virus, is left to fight the illness and grieve alone.

“She passed away from COVID-19 by herself, alone, without my father, without her family. My father himself has COVID-19, so he’s not able to be around other people as he grieves the loss of his wife,” Julián Castro told MSNBC.
 

But both brothers continue to fight for the Latino voice, through pushing measures to flatten the curve in Texas, and advocating for migrants in detainment facilities that have seen COVID-19 outbreaks.

“The Latino community is core to the cultural fabric and economic engine of the United States. But we’ve been disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, which has exposed and worsened existing inequalities,” Momento Latino states on its site.

The coalition says it wants to create meaningful, systematic change in the key areas of health, economy and education, categories in which Latinos have been impacted the most since the pandemic began to take a toll on daily life.

How exactly the Momento Latino coalition will combat these issues is yet to be seen, but even just highlighting the issues and disparities affecting the nation’s 60 million Latino population goes a long way.

In just days, Momento Latino has let the Latino community know it is connected to the overall struggle the pandemic has presented its people, and it is here to amplify Latino voices in the fight.